Candler accused rapist in custody

A Buncombe County Sheriff's Office representative says that Friday morning at approximately 7:10 a.m., Willie Lee Swinton was taken into custody without incident in the area of Fender Lane in Candler.

Investigators with the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office said Willie Lee Swinton, 53, has two outstanding warrants for second-degree forcible rape.

Lt. Kevin Briggs, with the Buncombe Criminal Investigation Division, said the victims appear to be random.

CANDLER, N.C. (WLOS) - A Buncombe County Sheriff's Office representative says that Friday morning at approximately 7:10 a.m., Willie Lee Swinton was taken into custody without incident in the area of Fender Lane in Candler.

Investigators with the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office said Willie Lee Swinton, 53, has two outstanding warrants for second-degree forcible rape.

Lt. Kevin Briggs, with the Buncombe Criminal Investigation Division, said the victims appear to be random.

Many of Swinton's neighbors said they weren't surprised to hear he was wanted by authorities, but one woman said she was shocked.

"It's not terribly common for me to hear about a potential rapist that is on the lose somewhere," Katrina Comisiak said. "It's a little frightening."

According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Swinton was convicted of sex charges in 1998.